Greenhouse gas emissions - Canada

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS

Suggested citation for this document: Environment and Climate Change Canada (2021) Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators: Greenhouse gas emissions. Consulted on Month day, year. Available at: canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-indicators/greenhouse-gasemissions.html.

Cat. No.: En4-144/18-2021E-PDF ISBN: 978-0-660-37862-6

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Greenhouse gas emissions

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CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

April 2021

Table of contents

Greenhouse gas emissions .................................................................................................................. 5 Key results .................................................................................................................................... 5

Greenhouse gas emissions per person and per unit of gross domestic product............................................ 6 Key results .................................................................................................................................... 6

Greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector...................................................................................... 7 Key results .................................................................................................................................... 7

Greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector............................................................................ 8 Key results .................................................................................................................................... 8

Greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector............................................................................... 9 Key results .................................................................................................................................... 9

Greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector............................................................................ 10 Key results .................................................................................................................................. 10

Greenhouse gas emissions by province and territory ............................................................................. 10 Key results .................................................................................................................................. 11

About the indicators.......................................................................................................................... 12 What the indicators measure.......................................................................................................... 12 Why these indicators are important.................................................................................................. 12 Related indicators......................................................................................................................... 12

Data sources and methods ................................................................................................................ 13 Data sources ............................................................................................................................... 13 Methods...................................................................................................................................... 13 Recent changes ........................................................................................................................... 15

Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators

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Caveats and limitations.................................................................................................................. 15 Resources ...................................................................................................................................... 15

References.................................................................................................................................. 15 Related information....................................................................................................................... 15

Annex ............................................................................................................................................... 16 Annex A. Data tables for the figures presented in this document.............................................................. 16

List of Figures Figure 1. Greenhouse gas emissions, Canada, 1990 to 2019................................................................... 5 Figure 2. Indexed trend in greenhouse gas emissions per person and per unit of gross domestic product, Canada, 1990 to 2019 ....................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 3. Greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector, Canada, 1990 to 2019....................................... 7 Figure 4. Oil and gas sector greenhouse gas emissions, Canada, 1990 to 2019 ......................................... 8 Figure 5. Transport sector greenhouse gas emissions, Canada, 1990 to 2019............................................ 9 Figure 6. Electricity sector greenhouse gas emissions, Canada, 1990 to 2019.......................................... 10 Figure 7. Greenhouse gas emissions by province and territory, Canada, 1990, 2005 and 2019................... 11

List of Tables Table A.1. Data for Figure 1. Greenhouse gas emissions, Canada, 1990 to 2019...................................... 16 Table A.2. Data for Figure 2. Indexed trend in greenhouse gas emissions per person and per unit of gross domestic product, Canada, 1990 to 2019............................................................................................ 17 Table A.3. Data for Figure 3. Greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector, Canada, 1990 to 2019.......... 18 Table A.4. Data for Figure 4. Oil and gas sector greenhouse gas emissions, Canada, 1990 to 2019............ 19 Table A.5. Data for Figure 5. Transport sector greenhouse gas emissions, Canada, 1990 to 2019............... 20 Table A.6. Data for Figure 6. Electricity sector greenhouse gas emissions, Canada, 1990 to 2019............... 21 Table A.7. Data for Figure 7. Greenhouse gas emissions by province and territory, Canada, 1990, 2005 and 2019 ............................................................................................................................................. 22

Greenhouse gas emissions

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Greenhouse gas emissions

Climate change is one of the most important environmental issues of our time. Climate change is caused by the increase in concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. These increases are primarily due to human activities such as the use of fossil fuels or agriculture. The indicators report estimates of Canada's emissions of GHGs over time.

Key results

Canada's total GHG emissions in 2019 were 730 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2 eq), a slight increase from 728 Mt CO2 eq in 2018

Figure 1. Greenhouse gas emissions, Canada, 1990 to 2019

Data for Figure 1

Note: Data are presented as rounded figures. The national indicator tracks 7 greenhouse gasesreleased by human activity: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride, perfluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbonsand nitrogen trifluoride. Emission levels for some years have been revised in light of improvementsto estimation methodsand availability of new data. Emissionsand removalsfrom the land use, land use change and forestry sector (LULUCF) are excluded from national totals to allow for a focuson greenhouse gasreleased from human activity only. Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada (2021) National Inventory Report 1990-2019: Greenhouse GasSourcesand Sinks in Canada.

Between 1990 and 2019, emissions increased by 21.4%, or 129 Mt CO2 eq. Canada's emissions growth over this period was driven primarily by increased emissions from oil and gas extraction as well as transport.

Emissions in 2019 were lower than 2005 emissions, with a decrease of 8.5 Mt CO2 eq or 1.1%. Emissions from public electricity and heat production by utilities showed a large decrease in emissions, 56 Mt CO2 eq. or 45%, and was a contributor to the emissions reduction.

According to the greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator developed by Natural Resources Canada, this 8.5 Mt CO2 eq emission reduction is equivalent to removing over 2 600 000 passenger vehicles from the roads for one year, or the energy-based emissions from nearly 2 000 000 homes for one year.

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